Conference paper
BARRIERS TO ACCESSING AND CONSUMING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR PALESTINIANS WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS RESIDING IN REFUGEE CAMPS IN JORDAN
Callum McKell
; School of Medicine, The University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
Ahmed Hankir
; 2Carrick Institute for Graduate Studies, Florida, USA; Bedfordshire Centre for Mental Health Research in Association with Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK; Leeds York Partnership Foundation Trust, Leeds, UK
Ishtaiwi Abu-Zayed
; Field Health Programme at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Amman, Jordan
Raeda Al-Issa
; South Baqa’a Health Centre, Baqa’a Refugee Camp, Jordan
Amjad Awad
; South Baqa’a Health Centre, Baqa’a Refugee Camp, Jordan
Abstract
Background: The Baqa’a refugee camp is the largest in Jordan, home to some 104,000 Palestine refugees. Barriers to accessing
and consuming mental health services in Arab-refugees are well documented in the literature however few studies have been
conducted hitherto to identify barriers for Palestine refugees with psychological problems residing in refugee camps in Jordan.
Aim: To identify the barriers to accessing and consuming mental health services for Palestine refugees with psychological
problems residing in Baqa’a refugee camp in Jordan and to formulate policy recommendations to overcome those barriers.
Methods: 16 qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals working at health centres for
Palestine refugees in Jordan, 14 of which were in health centres at Baqa’a refugee camp and the remaining two at the Field Office of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Amman, Jordan. All the interviews were recorded and transcribed and thematic analyses conducted. Ethical approval was granted by the University of Leeds and UNRWA.
Results: 16/16 (100%) respondents reported that resource and financial deficits were the most common barriers that contributed towards the treatment gap. Sex (15/16, (94%)), stigma and religion (12/16, (75%)) and culture (10/16, (63%)) were other major barriers identified.
Discussion: Our findings help to elucidate the contributory factors towards the treatment gap between Palestine refugees with
psychological problems residing in Baqa’a refugee camp in Jordan and mental health services therein. Policy recommendations
based on our results are formulated and are discussed in this research paper.
Keywords
global mental health; refugees; Palestinians; trauma; psychology; mental health policy
Hrčak ID:
263792
URI
Publication date:
15.6.2017.
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